Bohol, Philippines.
Emerald Resort.
The moment I stepped into the hotel lobby, I felt unfamiliar eyes on me.
It’s them.
The ones who took me to China.
Those rude bastards who dragged me all the way to China without even giving me an in-flight meal.
They’re back.
Feeling their gazes, I headed not toward the lobby but toward the garden outside the resort.
To where there were no people.
I took a gun out of my inventory and naturally tucked it into the back of my waist.
I’m not going quietly today.
I left the lobby and went out into the garden.
Emerald Resort is my home.
I know exactly what’s where and where the people are.
The moment I turned toward an empty corner, I felt someone rushing at me from behind to grab me.
Probably to put a hood over my head, right?
They did the same thing last time.
These bastards never improve.
Well, they succeeded last time, so I guess they didn’t need to change the plan.
But back then, I cooperated.
Not this time.
I stopped walking and bent straight over.
The agent chasing me, matching my pace, couldn’t overcome his momentum and latched onto my back as if climbing on.
I threw the man straight over my shoulder and slammed him onto the ground.
Thud!
The man writhed in pain from the impact, but I didn’t give him time.
I pulled out the gun stuck in the back of my waist and started firing right next to his face.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The gun fired right next to the agent’s ear.
The ground cratered, shock pooled on the man’s face, and tears formed in his eyes.
He wasn’t the only one surprised.
The agents who had approached right next to me to bind my hands and arms also seemed to freeze solid.
I raised the gun, slightly aimed it at them, and waved my hand as if telling them to step back.
The startled agents stepped straight back, securing a safe distance.
Meanwhile, guards who had heard the gunshots came running.
Armed guards exist everywhere in the Philippines.
Especially at a high-class resort like ours.
On top of that, we deal with rebels, organized crime, and arms trafficking.
The guards lacked nothing in numbers, skill, or equipment.
The guards surrounded the Chinese agents.
They called in additional personnel over the radio.
Not only the guards working at Emerald Resort, but also those who were off duty.
Even the guards from the neighboring Vicente Palace rushed over.
Adding to them, members of the Sandro Group staying at the hotel joined in.
The Chinese MSS agents, surrounded in an instant, went beyond surprise to utter shock.
They weren’t just exposed—they were completely encircled.
There wasn’t a single gap to escape.
“Let’s do this the easy way. Drop your guns and let yourselves be tied up? Or get shot and dumped in the waters off the Philippines? You guys aren’t here to kill me anyway. That’s why I’m showing you mercy.”
Having confirmed there was no longer any way out, the MSS agents’ gazes gathered on one spot.
A single man was standing there.
The man nodded faintly, and the agents carefully laid their guns on the ground.
Our guards went in, confiscated the guns, and bound the agents.
.
.
.
The hotel’s business conference room.
I sat face to face with Li Qingwu.
I had a coffee in one hand.
Li Qingwu was tied up tight.
They’d thoroughly frisked him and tied him up so well that he couldn’t move a single finger.
I said it was fine, but the guys insisted it wasn’t.
They said absolute safety was necessary, so they’d gone that far.
They didn’t have to, though.
You can die anytime in life, but I was at least confident I wouldn’t die by Li Qingwu’s hands.
Judging by how he planned the operation, ambushes were all he knew.
With a guy like this, you only have to watch out for surprise attacks.
But I couldn’t just push my opinion either.
Even if my opinion was right, I had to know how to take my employees’ opinions into account.
I’m the head of the resort.
I value my employees’ opinions.
“You’re the team leader?”
“I am. Just kill me.”
“What are you talking about? Why would I kill you?”
“...”
“Name.”
“...”
“I hate this... I like chatty kids who go on and on the most, and next are the ones who make excuses. The ones I hate most are bastards like you who keep their mouths shut and endure.”
“...”
“You think if you keep your mouth shut here, you’re protecting your country? You feel like you’ve become some great person, like you’re making a noble sacrifice, like you’re saving your team? No. Not at all. You’re throwing away the chance to save both yourself and your entire team.”
“...”
“Why did you come here? To take me, right? I just need to go to China, don’t I? Then isn’t the mission a success? Does it only count as success if you kidnap me, put a hood on me, and tie my hands?”
“...”
“If you don’t say anything, I’ll have no choice but to package you up just as you are and send you to China.”
“What???”
When I said I’d send them to China, only then did Li Qingwu open his mouth.
“Did you really think I’d kill you? Why would I give failed agents the glory of death? What you deserve isn’t the glory of death, but the disgrace of arrest and repatriation. Exactly the same way you took me. I’ll put a hood on you, tie your hands, even your legs, and dump you in China. Ah! Let’s skip the hood. We have to reveal your faces. Shouldn’t we know which black ops agent failed the mission?”
“...”
“I’ve done a lot of work today. Why is the electricity so lacking in the Philippines? Anyway, I’m fucking tired. I want to go rest. If you’re not going to talk, let’s end it here. I’m not curious about anything else from you. You won’t talk. I really hate this moment of talking to myself.”
“...”
I opened the door to leave, as if I truly had no lingering attachment at all.
Li Qingwu’s expression turned to shock.
He really hadn’t thought I’d leave.
I spoke to the guards standing outside.
“Take everyone, including this bastard, to the basement. Gag them and put hoods on them. Tie them up so they can’t move a single finger or toe. Don’t feed them either. These bastards didn’t feed me either.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And always be careful. They’re agents, after all. They’ve had plenty of training, so keep a tight watch. If they try to escape, shoot them. In the knees or ankles. Don’t hesitate—if you hesitate, you’re the ones who’ll get hurt.”
“Understood.”
“And tell Jason we’re sending them to China tomorrow morning. Have them smuggled all the way to Beijing.”
“Understood.”
Just as I was about to leave the conference room like that, Li Qingwu called out to me from behind.
“W-Wait...”
I looked at Li Qingwu with a bland expression.
An expression that said I truly had no interest in what he was saying.
“Give me a moment.”
“Bzzt. Time’s up. Haven’t you watched a sports game? Once time runs out, anything scored after doesn’t count.”
Li Qingwu’s expression grew urgent.
A sense of anxiety that everything would truly end if the door closed like this gripped his entire body.
“The door isn’t closed yet. Isn’t this a buzzer beater?”
“No, you bastard. The game was over when I stood up. So stop acting so pathetic.”
“Just kill me. Just kill me and let our agents go.”
“Why would I kill you? And I told you. I’m sending you nicely packaged up. This bastard’s the type who makes me repeat myself, too. I said it earlier—the ones I hate more than bastards who say nothing are bastards who can’t take a hint and make me tell the same story twice. Those bastards are hopeless. So let’s stop here. Any more and we’ll just hurt each other’s feelings. I can’t see you off. Go carefully, and if you survive, come visit later. I’ll give you a resort voucher.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll tell you everything.”
“No, it’s annoying. I told you I’m tired. And I hate repeating myself. But you’re doing all of that. Stop being so pathetic.”
“I won’t be pathetic. I’ll tell you everything in detail. My name is Li Qingwu, and I’m the team leader of MSS Overseas Operations Team 2. We came here under orders to bring you back. We were selected because we’d carried out the same operation before.”
“But do I need to know that?”
“Huh?”
“I’m not curious about your name. I’m not curious about your position or your affiliation at all.”
“Then what?”
“What I’m curious about is who I was supposed to meet if I’d been kidnapped. Who planned this fucked-up operation.”
“...”
“Look. This is why I hate bastards like you. You talk so much useless shit, but when asked for actually useful information, you clam up. And then you ask me to kill only you. You’re really something. Go back. Go back and get disciplined or retire on your own. I’m leaving.”
“It’s a misunderstanding. I was silent because I was thinking—I don’t know exactly. The operation was ordered by the MSS director. And I don’t know exactly who you’ll meet. But they said to bring you to Zhongnanhai.”
“The MSS director ordered the operation. And they said to bring me to Zhongnanhai?”
“Yes.”
Didn’t look like the MSS director acting on his own accord, like last time.
If it’s Zhongnanhai, it’s highly likely to be Wei Zhonglin.
They said the side effects of Ascend were severe, so I guess that’s why he called.
“But didn’t you hear what I said last time? I said if you send an invitation, I’ll come on my own. Why do you have to make things so complicated? You could ask Zhou Zhiming... Ah, he’s dead. Anyway, I’ll come on my own. So when I call, you come out.”
“That might be a bit difficult?”
“You think you have a choice?”
“How about this? Send my subordinates away. I’ll stay behind. I’ll escort you all the way to China.”
“Hahaha. You mean to keep an eye on me.”
“...That part is...”
“Fine. I can understand that much. But you’re paying for the plane ticket. First class. And you’re paying for duty-free too. It’s been a while since I’ve shopped for luxury goods.”
Li Qingwu’s expression didn’t seem good, but so what?
Did I have to worry about things like that?
*******
I headed to the President’s office in Zhongnanhai with Li Qingwu.
I’d shopped too much at the duty-free shops, so I stopped by the hotel to drop things off.
Thanks to Li Qingwu, I’d acquired a lot of luxury items.
I’m almost grateful for no reason.
On top of that, he escorted me all the way here to Zhongnanhai.
Thanks to that, I came comfortably.
See, coming like this is so much better.
No need for us to get hostile with each other.
Upon arriving at the office, Wei Zhonglin—a man who seemed like the President, yet unlike the President, yet every bit the President—greeted me.
“Welcome. You must have had a hard time getting here.”
“Yeah. Whatever.”
At my lukewarm response, Wei Zhonglin’s expression cooled in an instant.
From my standpoint, Wei Zhonglin wasn’t welcome at all.
I’d stopped importing Ascend, and he’d tried to kidnap me too.
He was someone I couldn’t possibly be happy to see.
On the other hand, Wei Zhonglin was a man who held mighty China in his hands.
No one could carelessly raise their head before Wei Zhonglin.
No one had shown such an insolent attitude in front of Wei Zhonglin.
Yet now, this man before Wei Zhonglin was acting extremely arrogant and rude.
Wei Zhonglin didn’t like it.
He wanted to slam this bastard’s head into the ground right now.
“Was something uncomfortable on the way here? You don’t look well.”
“Not at all? I came comfortably in first class? And did some shopping at the duty-free?”
Wei Zhonglin’s frosty gaze turned to Li Qingwu, who had brought me.
Li Qingwu was at a loss.
I didn’t care if they fought among themselves.
“So why did you want to see me?”
“Let’s talk about that slowly later. Let’s have a meal first.”
“I had an in-flight meal. I’m fine, so talk first.”
“Hmm...”
A vein seemed to bulge on Wei Zhonglin’s forehead as he clenched his teeth.
Must be my imagination.
“There must be a reason you called me. Spit it out.”
“......”
A long time passed, but no words came out of Wei Zhonglin’s mouth.
He seemed to be holding back his anger.
But was there something to be angry about?
Did something bad happen before I came?
“If you have nothing to say, I’m just going. And next time you want to meet, call me. Don’t send agents.”
Is the right to silence the default here or something?
Nobody’s talking.
He seems to find it awkward to talk.
“If you weren't going to say anything, why'd you call me?”
I just stood up from my seat.
I was getting up to leave when.
“Sit.”
A strong command came from Wei Zhonglin.
So he is from the military after all?
The type who can't stand insubordination?
But I'm not Wei Zhonglin's subordinate?
“Me?”
“Yeah, you.”
“Hehehe. Interesting.”
I was about to leave but sat back down.
I wanted to know why Wei Zhonglin was doing this.
It was simple curiosity.
“You still look young, so I suppose you weren't taught manners, but this isn't a place where you can come and go as you please, a place where you can act however you want.”
“Oh~ how did you know? I grew up like an orphan, so I wasn't taught etiquette. Are you a shaman? Did you guess right? Can you tell my future too? Can you see my future?”
Wei Zhonglin looked slightly flustered as he watched me deflect his intimidation with shamanism.
Did he think I'd be scared if he pushed me around like that?
“Tell me my future. I'll give you a hefty divination fee.”
“Uwahaha.”
Wei Zhonglin laughed as if in a good mood and continued.
“I see it. Your future. The sight of you kneeling and swearing loyalty to me.”
“Really? I don't plan on doing that? Did you see wrong?”
“No, I'm certain. You'll become like that.”
“We'll see. If that's what happens.”
I took out my wallet and placed a hundred-dollar bill on the table.
“Divination fee. I don't like the fortune, but it's not like the future goes the way I want. Even if I don't like it, I have to pay what I owe.”
“Kuhahaha. You're an interesting one.”
“If we're done here, I'm leaving.”
“You really are a slow learner, friend. I just told you this isn't a place you can come and go as you please.”
“Really? I wasn't notified in advance? Are you the type to do as you please? Changing the rules whenever you feel like it? Is that your style? Is that why you staged a coup?”
“Tsk, tsk. I don't like that tongue. Seems you need some education?”
Wei Zhonglin glanced at the bodyguard standing behind him.
At that, the bodyguard came toward me.
“Is it really okay to do this to someone you invited?”
“Of course it's okay. This is my world. Here, anything goes. Killing someone like you is nothing.”
“Since you said anything is fine, I won't hold back either.”
I took five grenades out of my inventory and threw them simultaneously.
Grenades rolled around the Chairman's office.
The bodyguard, who hadn't expected this situation at all, didn't know what to do.
No one had imagined grenades would roll around in the Chairman's office.
I had been body-searched repeatedly before entering here.
I had passed through security gates and been checked by hand.
But where had the grenades come from?
There was no way to know.
In the meantime, I grabbed Wei Zhonglin as if embracing him and went under the Chairman's desk.
Under this desk looked like the safest place here.
Boom!! Boom!!
The grenades exploded.
Small fragments flew everywhere in the office, embedding themselves in things.
The office became a scene of carnage in an instant.
The smell of gunpowder filled the office.
The window didn't break—maybe it was bulletproof glass.
Still, the shockwave was strong.
People bleeding everywhere.
People looking for me with guns drawn.
The alarm started ringing.
Agents waiting outside started flooding in.
Honestly, by this point, I was getting scared.
I hadn't thought things would get this far.
I hadn't come to China planning to plant grenades in the Chinese Chairman's office.
But it couldn't be helped.
Even if I dealt with the bodyguard who came to grab me, there was no solution.
This was Zhongnanhai.
There might be thousands of bodyguards like that.
I couldn't face them one by one.
I couldn't escape through the window either.
It would obviously be bulletproof, and it probably wouldn't even open.
I thought that today might be the last day of my life.
Then it couldn't be helped.
But let's not give up.
I still had the best hostage in my hands.
I raised Wei Zhonglin up.
And I stood safely behind Wei Zhonglin.
I used Wei Zhonglin as a shield.
With one hand, I had a gun aimed at Wei Zhonglin's head.
“Tell them all to get out.”
I told Wei Zhonglin, but Wei Zhonglin didn't listen to me.
He kept his mouth firmly shut.
Dragging out time was disadvantageous for me.
“Weren't you the one who called me because you had something to say? Your hospitality is a mess. If I leave like this, Ascend is goodbye forever. Is that okay?”
Only then did Wei Zhonglin come to his senses.
He had called me to receive Ascend, but had been so irritated by the man's impudent attitude that he had forgotten about Ascend.
He had almost ruined everything.
Ascend was absolutely necessary for China right now.
They had to change China, where Descend ran rampant, with Ascend.
It was humiliating, but it couldn't be helped to obtain Ascend.
“I have urgent matters to discuss with this person, so everyone, get out.”
Wei Zhonglin ordered after collecting his thoughts, but the agents hesitated even as they bled.
“It can't be done. We cannot leave the Commander alone with that bastard.”
“That's right. We don't know what might happen.”
“We will escort you.”
“It's fine. You don't need to worry. Those who are injured, go get treated immediately, and do not enter the office until called separately. Everyone, withdraw now.”
At Wei Zhonglin's firm command, the agents reluctantly withdrew, and I watched the situation from behind Wei Zhonglin with my gun aimed.
The agents were packed in front of the door, but no one could rush in.
They merely glared at me.
Thud.
The single door leading to the office closed.
I immediately locked the door.
It was a specially designed security door.
The door wouldn't open.
Only now could we talk comfortably.
“Shall we have a conversation now?”